


Be Alone

by mybrandneweyes



Series: The Only Exception [1]
Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-22
Updated: 2013-04-22
Packaged: 2017-12-09 03:59:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/769728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mybrandneweyes/pseuds/mybrandneweyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A oneshot of Tom falling for his female publicist/assistant. Based off of Paramore's "Be Alone."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Be Alone

I can do this. I can do this. 

Tom made his way through the sea of people getting off the Tube and heading in the direction of her house. 

She can grow to feel the same… if she already doesn’t.

There was an indescribable pull in his chest whenever he was around her… It had become unbearable and he had to know if she felt the same. He had tried to fight it off for the professional aspect of their friendship. She was his assistant, for God’s sake. They went everywhere together, did everything together. They were attached at the hip. His feelings for her were undeniable. 

They had recently returned from the MTV Movie Awards, where The Avengers cast had stolen the show, winning three awards. She had gone with him, but stayed back at the hotel while Luke, his publicist, attended the awards with him. He couldn’t help but admit that he was disappointed that she hadn’t been on his arm. 

He came to the door of her flat building, taking a deep breath, trying to calm the bundle of nerves that he had become. He clicked the buzzer for her door and the door immediately unlocked, allowing him into the building. 

She wouldn’t have just unlocked the door if she didn’t know who was coming. Was she expecting company? 

I can’t do this. I can’t do this. I can’t-

He started up the stairs against his brain’s protests, taking them two at a time until he was standing directly in front of flat 206. When he knocked on the door, it creaked open just enough for him to peek in. She was frantically searching for something across the room, digging through her luggage. 

“I’m sorry, I’m just trying to find my wallet…Tom! What are you doing here?” she breathed as she froze in place. He took in her appearance: barefoot, tight black leggings, an oversized white tee shirt, her crazy red curls pulled into to a high ponytail. Licking his lips, he began to regret his decision of bothering her on her night off. She looked adorable in her comfortable clothes, he noted, quickly diverting his stare. 

“I-I’m sorry, I should have-“

“Please, come in.” she said happily, reaching for his coat as he stepped in. After shutting the door and hanging his coat up, she joined him in the middle of the living room, cheeks a rosy red with the surprise. “I was just expecting the pizza delivery guy and I was getting ready to watch a film… care to join me?” she asked, returning to her luggage to dig around some more for her wallet. 

“I’d love to.” He grinned, taking his shoes off and setting them beneath his coat. His heart thumped against his chest as she triumphantly pulled her wallet out from under a pair of her tight blue dress pants… oh how he loved those. 

The buzzer rang again, making Holly run to the door with her wallet. She allowed the deliveryman in and turned back to see Tom standing behind her with a small smile on his face. He couldn’t stop smiling when he was around her. She was so energetic and so happy- very rarely did he see a frown unless she was concentrating or genuinely upset. 

When he went to offer to pay for the pizza, she simply pointed at him, which made him quiet. “It’s the least I could do after you paid for all of my meals in L.A.” She laughed, handing the money off to the delivery guy and shutting the door behind her. “So…” her voice crescendo as she entered her kitchen, returning with napkins, plates, wine glasses, and a bottle of merlot. “I would like to apologize on the behalf of my home country for the disgrace that is the MTV Movie Awards.” Hearing Tom laugh brought a grin to her face. 

“It honestly wasn’t that bad…” 

“Of course it wasn’t, Mr. I-Won-Three-Awards.” She teased, setting the plates next to the pizza and allowing him to take the bottle of wine. He opened it effortlessly, pouring them a glass each and then settled back into the couch, waiting for her to join him. She did, settling a plate of pizza on his lap before sitting on the middle cushion and sinking back. “Congratulations, by the way.” 

“Thank you, darling.” He smiled over at her after swallowing a bit of the delicious meal. “I missed you when I got back to the hotel.” 

“Sorry about that.” She mumbled into her wine glass, taking a sip. He wondered if she had been upset about not going… or maybe it was something else. Just as he was about to ask if she was all right, she changed the subject. “What movie did you have in mind?”

“I’ll watch anything. You know that.” He gave her a gentle smile, coaxing one from her as well. 

Holly thought back to when Tom had taken his coat off and draped it over the woman’s shoulders on the red carpet. The wash of jealousy through her veins was incredible. She had no reason to feel jealous. She had her feelings and she hadn’t put them out there for the sake of her career. She had no claim on her boss. 

But, oh, how she wanted him. 

But could she have him? She couldn’t risk her job.  
Starting to slide off the couch, she twisted to look at him. “On the count of three, say what film you’re in the mood to watch and we’ll compromise.” Tom nodded in agreement, watching her closely. “1, 2, 3...”

“Jurassic Park,”

“Jurassic Park,” 

After staring at each other for a moment, they burst into a fit of giggles together. Holly slid off the couch and to the entertainment set, pulling Jurassic Park out of its designated place on the shelf and popping it into the DVD player. When she returned, his arm was stretched out across the back of the couch. Biting her bottom lip, she sank back down into her previous spot, trying desperately to ignore the arm behind her. 

Tom watched her out of the corner of his eye as she flipped the light switch off. She came close to touching him a few times as she adjusted herself and poured them each another glass of wine. He wanted to kiss the side of her head and murmur a sweet thank you into her ear, but he settled for a semi-awkward “Thank you, Holly.” 

Holly twisted uncomfortably, bumping against Tom’s arm. Apologizing quietly, she drew her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. His heart began to beat against his chest wildly as he settled his arm across her shoulders and gently pulled her to mold to his side. Her head rested against his shoulder, curls tickling the back of his neck. One of her hands tentatively rested on his thigh, squeezing the muscle gently, urging him to relax. She was never nervous unless he was. 

Her eyes were transfixed on the screen and she jumped as the Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared. Tom took the opportunity to close his large hand around her shoulder and rub her arm gently, pulling her further into his side. Her hand wiggled beneath his back and rested on his opposite hip, the other moved up to his chest and her fingers tangled in the fabric of his V-neck. 

“Are you alright, darling?” he chuckled quietly, his thumb tracing her shoulder blade. 

“Yes. I haven’t seen this film in such a long time.” She answered, lifting her head just enough to look into his beautiful green eyes. He smiled gently, instinctively tucking a loose curl back into her bun. Blushing, she turned her attention back to the screen and rested her head against his shoulder. He never knew how much he loved her blushing until now. 

Is he just being nice? She thought as his free hand moved over hers and rested over hers that rested on his thigh. Her eyes flickered from the screen and to their hands as his fingers gently wiggled between hers and intertwined their digits. She could feel the blush creeping up her neck and staining her pale skin. He was starting to make moves… could that mean he could feel the same about her as she felt about him? 

There was no question that Holly had fallen for her charming boss. She was good at masking her feelings just as much as the actor beside her. That’s just how public relations people were. She had always assumed that Tom hadn’t felt the same spark between them… until now. 

Tom reined her back in from her thoughts with a quiet chuckle and a slight squeeze to her hand. He was reacting to the movie, she soon realized. 

“Would you like a cup of tea?” she asked suddenly, but quietly as not to disturb him from his cinematic experience. 

“That would be lovely. Would you like me to pause the film?” he asked, releasing her hand as she made a move to stand. 

“No, keep watching.” She smiled down at him, maneuvering around the longest legs she had ever seen in her life and heading for the kitchen. 

Tom watched her walk away and hoped that he hadn’t scared her. She seemed to have liked it. She fit perfectly into his side and he couldn’t help but notice how he loved the feeling of his hand enveloping hers. 

“Milk, Tom?” she called. 

I love the way my name rolls off her tongue. He thought to himself before answering, “Please, darling.” A few moments later, she joined him and handed him a cup of tea then proceeded to quickly clean up her coffee table. Tom couldn’t focus on the film with her hips swaying in and out of the room. He wanted so badly to pull her down into his lap and begin kissing her neck. “Thank you.” He said quietly as she sat beside him, cuddling into his side. His arm wrapped tightly around her waist once again, fingers resting at her hipbone. 

They watched the rest of the film together in comfortable, companionable silence. Her hand rested on his thigh and her head rested against his shoulder. There was nothing more that Tom wanted in his life than this. He needed the comfort and wanted so badly to tell her of his feelings. 

As the credits rolled, she disentangled herself from him and stood, collecting his empty tea mug and the plates from their pizza. Tom followed with the empty pizza box and set it next to her trashcan as she placed the dishes in the sink in preparation for tomorrow’s chores. 

“I should get going.” He said as she turned around. He could have sworn that she could see a flicker of sadness pass through her eyes. 

“I understand.” She smiled, following him back down the hallway and to the doorway, where his shoes sat and jacket hung. He donned them quietly, wishing that she would say something, anything to him. “Thank you for stopping by tonight.” Holly finally said, as if reading his mind when he straightened to tower back over her 5’6”. 

“It was my pleasure.” He said quietly, pulling her into a hug. She fit like a puzzle piece into his arms, burying her face against his chest. Tom’s face buried into her red curls, inhaling deeply. He stepped back and opened the door, giving her a small smile. She returned it and closed the door behind him as he started down the stairs. 

She couldn’t help but feel a bit of disappointment as she moved back towards the couch, pulling a blanket off the back of it and wrapping it around her. Why couldn’t she just tell him how she felt? There was obviously something between them… and it wasn’t just their friendship. It was most definitely more than that. 

Knock, knock. Holly was startled by the sudden sound, slowly bringing herself to her feet and wrapping the blanket as tightly as she could around her body. She opened the door and was met by those familiar green-blue eyes… that now were darkened and lustful. 

He leaned in, capturing her lips with his gently. She reacted slowly, her hands stilling on his chest as her lips came to life beneath his. The blanket fell to the floor with a quiet thump. They pulled away just slightly, looking in each other’s eyes before Holly pulled him back inside the flat and slammed the door shut, pushing his much taller body up against it and attacking his lips. His hands held her body close to his, fisting the hem of her shirt as she ran her hands across his shoulder blades and down to his lower back. After a few moments of being up against the door, Tom backed her up until the back of her thighs hit the arm of the couch, pushing her down gently. She sat, pulling him with her as she lay down, their lips never parting. 

“I’ve waited… so long.” He murmured, kisses in between each word, each breath. Her eyes flicked up to his momentarily as she brushed her fingers over his jawline. 

“I have, too.” She whispered back to him, wrapping her arms behind his head and pulling him down for more kisses. He settled in between her legs, his hand running up under her shirt to settle on her ribs. Tom let out a small groan as her tongue traced his bottom lip. He countered her tongue with his, gently pushing into her mouth until she retreated and allowed him to take her over. At this rate, he couldn’t stop himself from indulgence. She tasted absolutely exquisite. She suddenly pulled away, eyes wide and staring up into his. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked quietly, his thumb brushing a curl from her eyes. 

“We shouldn’t, Tom. Luke-“ she started, cut off by a sweet kiss. 

“He doesn’t have to know.” Not right away, at least. 

“You’re sure?” Holly whispered, eyelids fluttering as the tips of his fingers brushed over her cheek. 

“Yes,” he whispered back to her, sighing as their lips met again, a spark igniting a fire inside of his chest. Holly hummed against his lips, running a hand through his hair. 

“I love your hair.” She murmured, kissing his forehead as he moved back down to her neck. 

I love you. He thought, flicking his tongue over her soft skin. And that was when Tom heard Holly moan for the first time. His pants automatically felt too tight. 

Holly felt his bulge against the inside of her thigh, making her eyes widen. Reading her mind, he placed a kiss on her forehead and sat up, kneeling between her legs. “Not tonight.” He said quietly. Nodding in agreement, she sat up and kissed his cheek gently. As far as she knew, Tom had no idea that she was a virgin at 23 years old. They had never conversed on the topic. 

With their foreheads pressed together, she looked him in the eye, trailing her knuckles down his cheek. “Stay with me tonight?” she whispered, warm breath tickling his lips. Tom nodded, moving her head with his. She smiled broadly up at him, taking one of his hands and pulling him towards her bedroom. He was silent as she pulled a pair of his flannel sleep pants out of her bag with a blush. “You left them in the bathroom at the hotel… I grabbed them when I double checked your room.” With a small chuckle, he dipped his head and kissed her forehead. 

“Thank you, darling. You’re a godsend.” He whispered against her skin. Beaming, she looked up at him. 

“I’m going to change into my pajamas… You can do the same if you’d like.” Holly paused as his hand brushed against the small of her back, catching her off guard. 

“Ladies first.” he gestured toward the bathroom with a polite grin. Placing a kiss on his cheek, she bounced into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. 

Tom turned toward the mirror on her wall and grinned, seeing his usually pale cheeks covered with a deep flush from their kissing. Touching his lips, he chuckled quietly to himself and shook his head in disbelief. Why had he been so nervous to make a move on her?

Hearing the faucet shut off and the door open, he turned back to find her only in an oversized white tee shirt that reached mid-thigh. His breath caught in his throat as she walked over to the bed and stretched across it, making a small hum in her throat before curling up on her side and looking directly at him. 

“Your turn, boss man.” She grinned. His skin prickled deliciously as he licked his lips and hurried to the bathroom, quickly sliding his casual dress off and pulling the flannel pajama pants up to hang loosely off his hips. He did a once over of his body again to make sure that he looked good enough for her. Not that she would mind. She had seen this man at his worst and his best. 

He opened the bathroom door to find her still sprawled out across the bed, playing with a loose string on her comforter. He returned to her, crawling onto the bed and over her body, hands on either side of her head and leaning down to kiss her. Holly released a small groan of satisfaction and slid her hands around the back of his neck, pulling him to rest on top of her. He began to trail kisses away from her mouth and down her neck, taking her earlobe in between his teeth. Holly inhaled sharply, fingernails dragging up his back beneath his tee shirt. Pushing him gently, he fell onto his back and she crawled on top of him, beginning to kiss his neck and raking her fingers down his chest to the hem of his shirt. Tom lifted both their bodies to help her take off the shirt and toss it to the side of the bed. 

“You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting in my life.” he whispered as she placed kisses along his collarbone. His hand gently ran over her curls, careful not to tangle her ponytail. 

“Thank you,” she replied, a blush flooding her cheeks. Tom pulled her up to his level, placing a gentle, slow kiss on her lips. Holly nestled against him, catching the cue to end her teasing and curl up in his arms. 

\---  
Holly was the first to wake, feeling the weight of Tom’s long arms wrapped around her from behind. His face was buried in her ponytail, his warm breath tickling the back of her neck. Never had she slept that well in her life. His embrace was so warm, so inviting, and she never wanted to leave this man and her bed. 

However, her legs were cold and she needed her morning dose of coffee. 

Holly slid out of the bed to pull sweatpants over her cold, bare legs, earning furrowed eyebrows from the man still curled up behind her. “Where are you going?” he said quietly, reaching to grab her hand. Lacing their fingers, she grinned back at him. 

“I’m getting coffee for us.” She said, kissing the top of his hand. With a small smile, he pulled her down to place a small kiss on her lips before letting her resume her plans. When she returned, he was sitting up in bed with the television on, clicking through channels. 

“I hope you don’t mind, I-“ 

“Of course not.” Holly set his mug on the bedside table and slowly slid into his arms, leaning against his side. His hand rested on her hip, running up and down her side as she covered her legs with the comforter. Placing a kiss on the side of her head, he decided on BBC News and set the remote alongside his coffee. 

“Did you sleep well?” he asked quietly. 

“That’s the best sleep I’ve gotten in a long time.” She admitted, earning a small smirk from the inescapably handsome man beside her. 

“Then we might have to do this more often, yes?” his whispers caressed her ear as her eyes fluttered closed and she rested her head against his cheek. 

“Yes,” she confirmed, smiling as he turned her face towards hers, resting their foreheads together. Holly placed a kiss on the tip of his nose and brought her mug up to her lips, smiling happily into her sip.


End file.
